


The Worst Week of Their Lives

by ThatHCWriter



Category: The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Alternate Perspecive, Angst, Brotherly Love, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Suspense, Team as Family, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26556583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatHCWriter/pseuds/ThatHCWriter
Summary: When Ponyboy Curtis left his home in a huff that fateful night, his brothers assumed he'd return soon enough. But when morning came and his room was still empty, they quickly realized the nightmare they were truly in for.Or, Johnny and Pony's escape to Jay Mountain from the perspective of Darry and Soda.
Relationships: Darrel Curtis & Ponyboy Curtis & Sodapop Curtis, Darrel Curtis & Sodapop Curtis, Johnny Cade & Dallas Winston, Johnny Cade & Ponyboy Curtis
Comments: 16
Kudos: 53





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> Or: This work came from me figuring out that the Curtis parents died eight months before the story started and it broke me and inspired this.

Sodapop and Darrel Curtis were rudely awakened that morning by the sound of frantic pounding on their door. Darry sighed as he rolled out of bed, grumbling annoyedly all the while. He assumed it was Pony, back from his night of sleeping out with Johnny, and without his keys. So when the front door came into view, and Steve's face was on the other side of the glass, it threw him for a loop. Mussing up his ratted hair, he flung open the door. 

Steve looked horrified, breathing erratically and twitching. When he saw Darry in front of him, he started to speak quickly, almost incomprehensibly. "Woah, woah Steve. Slow down, you're not making sense." 

"They found a dead Soc by the fountain this morning," Steve blurted, his panic becoming more obvious with every word. Darry's blood ran cold. 

"Something fishy happen to him?" Darry's tone was more sheepish than Steve had ever heard before. 

"There was a lot of blood, Darry. Definitely looks like it." Darry sucked in a shuddering breath. That's when his mind landed on a sickening realization. Ponyboy hadn't come home last night. 

Shit. 

Shit. Shit. This was bad. "Do you know if Johnny and Pony were around there last night," Darry asked, silently praying for a denial. Steve hung his head, staring into the ground as he spoke. 

"No one's seen 'em all morning." Darry felt his stomach drop. 

"No," Darry murmured, trying to push down the wave of nausea that had crashed into him. 

"Two-Bit, Dally and I have already started looking, and that was before we knew about the Soc. We're not gonna give up until we find him, you know that, right? We don't give up on each other, specially not on Pony." Darry nodded, shutting the door slowly and leaving Steve to his work. 

Every part of his body felt heavy, his stomach twisting in a tight knot as he stood. He remembered feeling this way only a few short months earlier, when a policeman knocked on his door just like Steve did, and stole what was left of his childhood with the words "they were pronounced dead at the scene." There was a part of him that reasoned that Steve hadn't been that final, that there was a good chance that Pony was still very much alive. 

Glory, he hoped that was the case. He didn't know if he could take burying three family members in less than a year. He didn't even want to think about what that could do to Sodapop. Sodapop. 

The wave of nausea hit Darry again full force. Soda was the heaviest sleeper he knew, he probably didn't have a clue anyone was knocking on the door that morning. Darry couldn't decide if that fact was a blessing or a curse; on the one hand, he didn't have to hear it from an alarmingly scared Steve, but on the other hand, Darry had to be the one to tell him. 

His mind drifted to the scene he'd walked in on every morning since that awful day months ago, with Soda curled protectively around a sleeping Ponyboy, and the nausea only got worse. Soda loved their kid brother more than anything on this earth. Glory, this news might break him. 

Darry almost crawled up the stairs, fighting off the dread as he made his way to Soda's room. When he opened the door, Soda was sitting up, looking at him hazily. 

"I heard you get up, what's going on?" Soda slurred sleepily, "Where's Pony?" Darry sat next to him on the bed, grabbing his arm and sighing sadly. 

"Someone found a Soc dead in the park last night." Soda's face fell. "And um, uh... Pony and Johnny are nowhere to be seen," Darry continued, trying to stay strong. Soda went wide eyed, scanning Darry for any sign of deception. 

"W..What?" Soda asked tearfully, his tone tearing deeply into Darry's heart. 

"I don't know much else. I just needed wanted you to hear it from me." Soda nodded understandingly, whimpering softly. "Hey, hey, come here." Darry pulled Soda in close, rubbing his neck calmingly. Soda only fell further into him, and Darry only pulled him closer. 

"You think we're gonna get him back?" Soda whispered, not lifting his head. Darry sighed. 

"He's a tough kid. He'll find a way back." Darry wasn't sure how much he believed his statement, but it seemed to help Soda even out his breathing. For longer than either of them realized, the two brothers sat together, not willing to let each other go. 

For all they knew, they might be the only family each other had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? I'd love to hear feedback and kudos are always appriciated!


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first night without Pony is long and sleepless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the little known fact that Pony slept with Soda for a few months after the Curtis parents died. Hope you enjoy!

Night fell too fast for Darry's liking, meaning any search parties had to call it off for the evening and leave Ponyboy to face the night alone. Darry told himself that it was because they wouldn't be able to see anything Pony might have left behind, anything to establish a trail. He didn't want to think about how much harder it would be to find a body. 

Soda stared at the setting sun beyond the front door without moving, still to the point where it honestly scared Darry. Glory, he wasn't sure he saw Soda blink that whole time. It wasn't until the sun was fully tucked behind the clouds that the younger Curtis brother finally moved away from the front door, his chin tucked in his chest. Darry quickly took notice. 

"Hey Soda.." He said delicately, trying not to scare his clearly shaken brother. Soda turned to him, his eyes hazy and unfocused. 

"What's happening Dar?" Soda asked blearily, tears forming in his eyes. Darry's heart clenched. 

"I don't know, I don't know Soda," tears began to form in the younger Curtis' eyes as his brother spoke, "look at me Sodapop." Darry grabbed his brother's chin firmly, looking at him intensely. "Pony's stubborn. Real stubborn. He's so hard headed, whatever'd try to hurt him'd just give up after a while." That got a small laugh out of Soda. "He'll find a way. He's smarter than we think." 

"He's gotta know we're looking for him, right?" Darry sighed heavily. He thought back to the final conversation he had with his brother before all of this had gone down. How angry Pony had been when he left the house, how badly he had reacted to Pony simply slipping up. Making a mistake. The nausea from a few hours earlier was back with a vengeance, as he came to the horrible realization that Pony might have left that day thinking he didn't care about him. Thinking he wouldn't come looking. But glory, Soda was too weak to hear that, at least right now. 

"Of course he does. He knows we'll find him." Soda shakily nodded, turning to go upstairs. Darry didn't even realize how late it was getting. Then again, what was the point of even trying? Darry knew damn well that his mind would not let him sleep without all of his brothers under the same roof. It was something he noticed even in the early days of his guardianship of his brothers, and it never seemed to go away. Even on the nights when Soda worked late, or Pony was at Dally's, sleep wouldn't come for the eldest Curtis brother. 

If they weren't safe, he couldn't rest, and tonight was no exception. Soda stumbled down the stairs, having showered and changed into dingy grey sweatpants, still in the off-putting haze from sunset. 

"Not ready to sleep, huh," Darry said casually, flopping back on the couch. Soda shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"Can't do it alone. Room's too quiet." 

His brother's words cut Darry hard enough to draw blood. Soda hadn't slept alone in six months. He volunteered to sleep next to Pony, help him through the nigthmares that plagued him after their parents passed. He always played it off, like it was something he only did for Pony, a duty of his as a good brother. He'd never admit that it helped him through the worst moments in his life, that it helped him sleep just as much as it helped Pony. 

"Come here," Darry said softly, patting the couch next to him. Soda swallowed hard, accepting his brother's invitation. When he sat down, Darry flung an arm over him and drew him to his chest, rubbing his shoulder slowly. "Neither of us are alone Soda, you've gotta believe that, okay? I got you." Soda nodded drowsily, slinging an arm over Darry's chest. 

Soda nearly slept a few times that night, safe in his brother's grasp, but every time, he'd fall just short, a thought of Pony's safety would enter his head and wake him up abruptly. Darry wasn't even afforded that luxury, not once even feeling tired throughout the night, focusing only on a distant prayer to whoever was listening. _I just want him back. I don't care about nothing else right now, I just want him back _.__

He repeated it in his head like a mantra, in rhythm with the pattern he was rubbing in Soda's shoulder. 

Tears came as soon as he was sure that Soda was out, unable to notice his pain. 

He only wished that sleep came after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay more angst! In all seriousness, I hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments make my day!


	3. Day Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darry has a conversation with a friend that changes the game for both

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay update! This should be fun....

Before Darry knew it, the sun was peaking out from behind the curtains of the Curtis living room. It was official, Ponyboy had spent one night out in the world, without anyone other than Johnny to help him. He had to think that he survived, that he was waiting somewhere relatively safe, and that he'd come home soon enough. He knew full well that that wasn't the most likely scenario, but he thought of the kid still sleeping soundly in his arms, and knew he couldn't think like that. At least, not yet. 

He slowly, gingerly unwrapped Soda from his chest, laying his head on a pillow and getting up slowly, careful not to disturb him. Still remaining as silent as he could, he made his way to the kitchen, starting to make breakfast as gingerly as he could. Just as Darry suspected, the sound and smell of sizzling bacon finally drew Soda from the couch. 

"Dar.. It's barely morning... What are you?" Soda slurred, resting his arm on the wall and leaning over. Darry smiled. 

"Can't waste a moment of daylight. Figure we might as well get the day off to a decent start," Darry stated, smiling sadly at his brother. Soda nodded, half excited, half resigned, and sat down on one of the stools. There was a long moment of silence, neither brother wanting to break the moment of peace. With a heavy sigh, Soda hung his head and spoke. 

"So... where are we starting searches today," Soda murmured. Darry swallowed hard, setting bacon on Soda's plate. 

"I'm meeting with Dally this morning to try and work out a plan. Meantime, the others are gonna search around some of the woods, up to the train tracks. Maybe you could go with 'em." Soda nodded, polishing off a fourth strip of bacon. 

"What if..." Soda began to ask, before quickly cutting himself off. Darry leaned over the table, prompting him with his hand. 

"What if what?" 

"What if we find him? If he went in the woods, and he didn't..." Soda sucked in a deep breath, "I can't do that Dar, I can't see him like that." 

"Hey, Soda, hey. Don't think like that. It's only been one night, like I said he's a strong kid." Darry said the words feverently, but a part of him didn't know if what he was saying was true. Regardless, he drew Soda into a hug, patting his back firmly. Soda sighed deeply, letting go of his brother faster than Darry expected. 

"I should go meet up with the rest of them," Soda deadpanned, his tone so flat it almost scared Darry. Before he could respond, the younger Curtis brother was out the door, leaving Darry alone with his thoughts. 

Soda was right, neither of them were prepared to find Pony, especially not if he... Glory, he couldn't even think it. He wasn't prepared to bury his parents, he wasn't prepared to go to two funerals in a few weeks, he wasn't prepared to suddenly go from being a kid to being a guardian, he wasn't prepared to have so much responsibility. 

He _really _wasn't prepared to lose his brother. He wasn't prepared to fail: as a brother, or as a guardian.__

__He wasn't prepared to lose another person he loved._ _

__His stomach in knots, he reluctantly left the house, and headed straight for Dallas Winston. To Darry's surprise, Dallas looked like death warmed over. His eyes were sunken in, his cheeks reddened and thinner than usual. When he sat across from Dally, Darry couldn't help but notice the overwhelming odor of alcohol that laced his breath. A pang of sympathy struck Darry. He didn't realize how hard the other man was taking this._ _

__"What do you wanna talk about, Dar?" Dally's voice was strangely weak, immediately unnerving Darry._ _

__"Do you know anything about Johnny and Pony?" Darry asked plainly, not seeing the point of beating around the bush. Dally sighed heavily._ _

__"They came to me after Johnny killed that Soc..."_ _

__"What?"_ _

__"Did you not know? Johnny killed a Soc, did it to protect Pony." Darry tried to push down nausea. Dally seemed almost disappointed in Darry's reaction, only serving to infuriate him more._ _

__"I.. No, I didn't.. What?"_ _

__"He was scared, obviously, so he asked how to skip town. Pony wouldn't let him go alone.." Dally trailed off, avoiding eye contact, "I tried to warn him Dar, but that kid's stubborn." Darry nodded, eyes welling up reflectively as he clenched his fists._ _

__"Don't need to tell me that," Darry joked, smirking darkly._ _

__"He'll be fine Dar, I know it."_ _

__"No you don't," Darry replied, venom in his voice. Dally looked up, alarmed. "You don't. You can't. I'm sorry Dall, I know you tried, but..." Darry leaned in staring into Dally's eyes intensely, "That doesn't change the fact that you might have given my kid brother a death sentence. And Glory, I don't know if I can forgive you for that." Darry turned to the door, leaving the room in a huff._ _

__"Dar?" Dally asked as he left, trying to stop the man, but the eldest Curtis was already out the door._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some good old fashioned relationship angst, should be good! I love feedback, thanks for reading!


	4. Days Four through Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers begin to establish a routine, as the days stretch on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Hope you enjoy the next part!

The next three days were, to the brothers' dismay, exactly the same. After a strangely empty feeling breakfast, the boys would make their way to the search headquarters, where they'd receive the day's plans. Darry stopped working, which his boss mercifully understood, to give him as much time as he could to find his brother. Every day, they'd go out and search a new area of the forest around Tulsa, yelling and screaming for Pony and Johnny to come back, only to end up coming up empty. 

They tried to ignore the dogs that were sniffing around, just in case their brother couldn't respond to their calls. 

At the end of the day, Darry would always whisk Soda away from the commotion, especially when the search team talked about how quickly Pony and Johnny's odds were worsening. Soda teared up on the way back, always drawing Darry to rub the back of his head gently as he drove home. 

When they arrived back, Soda started crying in earnest. Every time, it got more desperate, and every time, it tore a little bit more out of Darry's soul. He always walked him into the house, set him on the couch and got some tissues for him, trying to take care of the brother he had left. Soda simply laid there for a while, crying almost silently. Darry sat next to him quietly, every single night, and simply shushed him, trying to comfort him. 

It was monotonous, almost torturous. Darry felt like he wasn't doing anything, that he wasn't getting any closer to finding his little brother. Pony was still out there, he might be cold, scared, hungry, even dead, and there Darry was, sitting on his couch. He wasn't getting any closer, he was just letting time pass until some miracle happened, until they found him, alive or dead. 

On the sixth night, Soda was crying so hard he was nauseous, leaning into himself and holding his stomach. 

"Dar?" Soda asked drowsily, face streaked with tears. Darry turned to him. 

"Yeah Sodapop?" 

"It's been almost a week." Soda's tone was terrifying to Darry, so dark and deep and void of hope. Darry pulled Soda closer to his chest. 

"I know." 

"And they keep sayin the odds are getting worse." 

"I know." 

"Darry is he coming back?" Soda was staring at him dead in the eyes, a pressing, pleading look in his eyes. Darry rubbed the back of Soda's head. 

"I hope so..." He stared off in the distance, fighting back tears of his own, "I hope so." 

And then, as if it was on cue, the phone rang. 

Darry was frozen in fear, staring at the phone. He was waiting for this call, he had been for weeks now, but now that it was here, he was terrified. Reluctantly, he stood, heading toward the phone and regarding it like a raging fire. He picked it up, uttering a hesitant greeting into the phone. 

"Darryl Curtis? This is Doctor Sherridan down at Saint Mary's Hospital. Are you Ponyboy's brother?" Darry's heart began to race. 

"Y..Yes. Yeah, that's me." 

"He's been taken here, in stable condition. He has some minor injuries, and he's rather dehydrated. He's been asking for you." Darry's clutched his chest, tears forming in relief. Soda took notice, mouthing if he was okay. Darry nodded, and a shaky smile formed on the boy's face. 

"We'll... we'll be there soon ma'am. Glory, thank you. Thank you ma'am." 

"Not an issue. We'll see you here soon." 

The brothers very quickly packed into the car, relieved anticipation oozing off of the pair. This was really happening. 

Pony was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go! I'm excited for next chapter! Thanks for reading!


	5. Day Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Curtis Brothers reunite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cathartic chapter incoming! Hope you enjoy it.

They came up to the hospital as quickly as they ever had, thankfully avoiding the fuzz on the way. Not that he cared about that, Ponyboy was much more important than a ticket, even one he wasn't sure if he could pay. They scrambled out of the car in a huff, making their way tensely through the cold, imposing hallways. Something about the way the halls snaked around the building, twisting and winding and keeping the brothers away from Pony, made Darry ill, and made him hold Soda just a little closer to him. 

He remembered the last time he'd been here, only a few months ago. How cold and rainy the night was, how scared his brothers were, how much his hands were shaking, no matter how hard he tried to stop it. He remembered how cold it was down in the basement, how lifeless mom and dad looked on those tables. He remembered holding his brothers close as the social worker spoke to them. He doesn't remember what she said, other than the words "removal," and "foster care," and "separation," all of which made him pull the younger boys in closer. 

They passed the elevator they had taken those months ago, drawing the attention of both of the brothers. A chill ran down their spine as they stared at it, memories fogging their minds and spiking their anxieties. Darry tried to dig himself out of that hole as quickly as he could muster. After all, they were here to pick up Pony. 

They weren't here to identify a corpse. 

They weren't here to identify a corpse. 

They weren't here to identify a corpse. 

He repeated that mantra in his head while they took the elevator up, to the floors where the living people were, to the floors where Pony was. When they heard the bell ring, Soda ran off of the elevator, not thinking about anything but his kid brother. Darry stayed behind, collecting his thoughts. 

He hoped Pony wasn't mad. He hoped he understood, that he could forgive Darry for just how bad he'd been. It was a lot, raising Pony and Soda but it was worth it. He wouldn't trade it for anything, he just hopes his little brother knows that. Steeling himself, he stepped out of the elevator and turned down the hallway. 

The sight that greeted him made his chest tighten and his heart leap. Soda was standing in the middle of the hall, a scrawny blonde wrapped up tightly in his arms. It was Pony, no mistaking, even if the hair was strange and his skin was charred black. He stepped forward at a glacial pace, an overwhelming knot in his chest forming as he extended his arms. 

"Ponyboy," He said breathlessly, huffing as the younger boy collided with his chest. He held on to his brother tightly, moving a hand up to gently and soothingly carding his fingers through his hair. Pony buried his face in Darry's shirt sleeve, muttering a soft apology. "I though we lost you like we did mom and dad." The words came out of Darry's mouth before he could process them. He felt bad in retrospect, bringing up such a painful memory, but in the moment he didn't care, wrapping an arm around Soda as he rejoined the hug. 

In that moment, he didn't care that he wasn't quite sure what happened to his kid brother. He didn't care that Pony smelled like grime, and smoke and blood. He didn't care that Johnny was nowhere to be seen. He didn't care that the fuzz would question them, much less if Pony actually did anything wrong. 

All he cared was that his brothers were both here. They were both alive. They were finally together. 

There were things to be done outside, questions to ask, things to do, but that wasn't what he was worried about. 

Right now, the Curtis brothers stood together. Unbreakable. 

Golden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love some good ol fluff. A little epilogue next, hope you liked this one!


End file.
